Folding chair



Jul 9, 1946. R. 'r. scHooF FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Filed Feb. 27, 1945 July 9, 1946. R T, SCHOOF 2,403,558

FOLDING CHAIR Fil ed Feb. 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A'I'I'DRN EYS Patented July 9, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING CHAIR Ralph T. School, Dodge City, Kans. Application February 27, 1945, Serial No. 579,955

. 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to folding chairs and more particularly to folding rocking chairs, which when in inoperative position may be stored away and occupy a minimum amount of space.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a chair which is simple in construction and can be used either with or without rockers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair which can be used with or without arm rests or with or without rockers.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following specification and claims and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention showing the rockers attached.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the chair in folded position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 with the chair in folded position.

Fig. 6 i a sectional detail as shown in Fig. 3 in folded position.

Fig. 7 is a modification of the arm rests.

Fig. 8'is a detailed view of the chair without rockers, and

Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the chair with chair bottom strips attached.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein for illustration like numerals designate like parts, H] designates the body portion of an improved rocking chair which is formed similar to the usual type of camp stool having a canvas seat I l, seat supporting members l2 and cross legs l3 and I4.

In order that the legs may be easily and quickly folded the leg I3 is made of a continuous strip of material while the leg I4 is formed of 2 short portions l5 and I6 that are joined together by a pivot plate I! which is provided at the center thereof with an opening I8 which is adapted to receive a pin IS. The pin l9 provides a pivot point for the leg l3 whereby the legs l3 and [4 may be moved relative to each other when the chair is folded flat in inoperative position.

The seat ll is attached to the members l2 by any well known means in this instance it is shown attached by upholstery tacks 2'0, and the 2 plate I! can be fastened to the leg portions 15 and I6 by stove bolts 2| or rivets.

When the chair is to be used a a rocker, rungs 22 are secured to the ends of the legs l3 and I 4 these rungs are provided to strengthen the legs l3 and I4. When the rungs 22 are secured to the legs l3 and I4, the securing means 21 pass through an angular plate 23 attached to the lower end of each of thelegs, the plate 23 being provided in order that the rocker 24 may be securely fastened to the body III, by means of screws or the like.

Angular bars 25 are provided at the ends of the members l2 to support an arm rest 26 and a headed screw 34 passes through the lower end of the forward bar 25 and legs I3 and I4 thus holding the bars I2 in position with respect to the body Ill. The arm rest 26 is secured to the bars 25 by screws or any other well known means.

A canvas back seat 28 is provided having its ends inserted in vertical slots 28 in the uprights 29 and retained in position in the slots by screws or any other well known fastening means. The uprights 29 are provided with plates 30 which are pivotally secured to the rocker 24 by means of pivot pin 3| and fastened to uprights 29 by I screws or the like.

The uprights 29 are provided with longitudinal slots 32 which form a track or guide way for a stud 33' secured to the rear bars 25.

When the chair is collapsed the studs 33 follow the slots 32 and keep the chair in a compact condition during the operation.

The uprights 29 are secured to the supports 12 by any well known fastening means such as headed screws 34 and these pass through the rear bars 25 and slot 32' and rear legs l3 and I4 and thus hold the uprights 29 and rear legs l3 and I4 and a spacer 39 on the fastening means 34 properly positions the body ID with relation to the plate 25. The slots 32 therefore act as a guide way for both the studs 33 and the fastening means 34 and each are retained and move in the slot when the chair is being collapsed.

There is thus provided a rocking chair that is strong, light and can be easily collapsed into an I inoperative position.

on the fastener 34 intermediate the upright 29 and leg portion l5.

In Fig. 8 the chair is adapted to be used without the rockers 24 and the uprights 29 are secured directly to the legs I3 of the chair thereby providing a light folding chair.

In Fig. 9 straight chair strips 31 replace the rockers 24 and provide a comfortable porch or lawn chain, 7

Thus thereis" provided a chair thateanbe used a camp stool, a rocker or a porch or lawn chair and one which is simple and cheap to manufacture, one that can be easily collapsed by grasping the uprights and moving them-to ward each other whereby the chair will assume the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of a folding chair of this construction will be fully understoodfrom the foregoing description. I

' 'It isto be understood that the invention is sus ceptible of various changes in its form, proportions, and minor details of construction, and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is: i

1. In a folding chair, a body having seat sup porting members and lateral cross legs connected thereto, said legs being pivotally connected whereby said seat supporting members may be moved toward and away from each other, body supporting means connected to the lower ends of said legs, arm supporting means secured to the upper ends of said legs, uprights carried by both said supporting means at the rear of the seat supporting members, a back rest carried by said uprights, and a flexible seat carried by said seat supporting members, a guide way provided in each of said uprights and studs provided on the rear of said arm supporting means received in said guide ways.

2. In a folding chair, the combination of two seat supporting member, a flexible seat carried by said seat supporting members, foldable means attached to said seat supporting members for supporting said members in an erect position, uprights movably connected to said supporting means, a back rest connected to said uprights, angle plates attached to said supI Orting members, arm rests connected to said plates, longitudinal slots provided in said uprights headed members in said supporting means engageable in the slots in said uprights, pins connected to said plates, said pins adapted to be positioned in said slots, whereby said seat supporting members and said uprights may be folded simultaneously.

,RALPH T. SCHOOF'. 

